This invention relates to a denture base stabilizing sheet (denture base fixing sheet) fitting the configurations of a user's jaw and a denture base, which serves to stabilize a denture base on the jaw.
Conventionally, a denture base stabilizing material made of a synthetic resin in the form of powder, paste or a soft plate has been used as the means for stabilizing a denture base on the jaw. Each time a user attaches a denture base to user's jaw, the user takes the required amount of denture base stabilizing material from a receptacle in the case of a powder or paste sheet, or forms it into an appropriate size and configuration in the case of a soft sheet, for the purpose of filling any gaps left between the denture base and user's jaw with the denture base stabilizing material.
Examples of conventional denture base stabilizing sheet of the above-mentioned soft sheet type are: a plastic material for lining denture bases, comprising polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene, polyvinyl chloride, ethylene-vinylacetate copolymer, nylon, polyvinyl fluoride, Teflon, polyacrylonitrile and polyvinyl alcohol disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying Open (KOKAI) No. 57-59529; a thin sheet for stabilizing a full set of dentures disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laying Open (KOKAI) No. 59-172413; a sheet for fixing dentures disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laying Open (KOKAI) No. 54-123695; and a denture base stabilizing sheet disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laying Open (KOKAI) No. 61-196723 which is proposed by the inventors of the present invention.
However, with the above-mentioned conventional sheet, the user is obliged, each time the user attaches a denture base to user's jaw, to perform the bothersome operation of taking the required amount of denture base stabilizing material in the form of powder or paste and disposing it on the denture base, or of forming the denture base stabilizing sheet into a soft sheet type conforming to the size and configuration of the denture base. In particular, the operation of making the thickness of the denture base stabilizing sheet uniform is considerably difficult for those who are not accustomed to it. Besides, it often happens that the user has to remove some excess sheet left protruding through the gap between the denture base and the jaw, and some skill is required to avoid such an inconvenient operation. In addition, the denture base stabilizing sheet of a soft sheet type is not desirable from the viewpoint of economy, since a considerable amount thereof is thrown away as excess when forming it into the required size and configuration. Moreover, it is not desirable from the hygienic point of view since the user often touches the denture base stabilizing sheet directly with user's bare hands while forming it.
Trying to solve the problems experienced with the conventional denture base stabilizing sheets, we have developed a shaped article having a particular configuration, and made of denture base stabilizing sheet manufactured using a composition comprising 41 to 43 wt % of ethyl methacrylate polymer, 37 to 39 wt % of butyl phthalyl glycolate, and 17 to 23 wt % of glyceryl triacetate. It was confirmed that the shaped article enables the user to stabilize his or her denture base on the jaw, with ease and in a hygienic manner. The denture base stabilizing sheet of this invention shows an excellent fit, feeling, anti-creep property, satisfactory workability during shaping and satisfactory releasability between the denture base and the denture base stabilizing sheet after use of the denture base.